Portable head-rest



(No Model.)

0. O. WIDMAYER.

PORTABLE HEAD REST.

No. 394,044. Patented Dec. 4, 1888.

'a citizen of the United States, residing at UNITED STATES CHARLES O. IVIDMAYER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE H EAD-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,044, dated. December 4, 1888.

Application filed in: 3, 1888. Serial No. 272,629. (No model.)

T 0 (all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES 0. WIDAIAYER,

Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new, useful, and Improved Portable Head-Rest, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawii'igs, forming a part of this speei fication, in which Figure l is a side view showing the use of my improved head-rest as applied to an ordinary car-seat, the latter being" shown in vertieal section. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of said l'iead-rest when not in use. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same. Fig. *i' is a front view of the uncovered spring or skeleton of said head-rest. Fig. 5 is a view of the same when folded. Fig. (5 is a vertical sectioi'ial view. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 1127', Fig. (3. Fig. 3 shows a modification of the manner of ctmstructing the frame. Fig. fl is a detail view showing the frame with a hinge formed thereon, and Fig. 10 is a detail view showing a modified form of hinge.

Like letters of reference in the (llilfllti'li figures indicate like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a head-rest for chairs, settees, rustic seats, and the like, but more especially for use upon railway-cars, and I therefore prefer to .make the same'portable, and so that it maybe compactly folded when not in use, all of which is hereinafter more particularly described, and definitely pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a wire of spring steel or other suitable elastic material, which is bent in the form substantially as represented in Figs. 2, 4, and F3. The whole may be made from a single piece of light wire bent to form a frame to receive the head, as at B, while the lower part, C, is intended to be placed between the back of the person and the seat. The wire A is preferably crossed at a, as shown in Fig. 4, and either clasped by means of a sl1eet1netal clasp, a, secured thereto, or it may be twisted, as indicated in Fig. 8. In either event it is bent forward, as shown at a to fit the neck. The i lower part, C, is curved, as shown in Figs. 2 l

and 6, when in its normal position, but when l in use it assumes the form indicated in dotted lines in Fig. The ends of the single wire A, of which the frame is composed, are preferably connected with each other at the lower end by means of a clasp, c, of sheet metal, or in any well-known way.

Over the frame A is sewed a cover, D, of any fabric or material-such cloth orleather which is, by preference,upholstered where the head rests against it; but the part C is merely provided with a strip, 0, Figs. 6 and 7, of straw-board, leather, or sheet metal, to retain the cloth cover in place and to protect the seat-back from being worn by the wire frame. When not in use the part C may be folded upon the part l3, and passed beneath a loop, I), as shown in Fig. 5, when the whole may be packed within a small space in a satchel or trunk.

In Fig. l, as stated, I have shown a practi cal application of said headsrest. E in said figure represents the back of the usual carseat, against which the part C of my improved device is placed. The passenger reclines his head against the part 15, while the lower end of the part C presses against hisback, and the point a rests against the top of the seat-back E, which forms a fulcrum therefor. 'lhehead is thus supported with an easy yielding pressure, and the construction of the frame A is such as to permit the user to readily turn his head sidewise without changing the position of the rest, which readily accommodates itself to such movement. This is of the utmost importance in eontrilniting to the comfort of the passenger, as the head and neck are fully supported, while protected from the jar of the train.

If desired the frame maybe merely covered with cloth, as shown in Fig. 2; but] prefer to pad the part B.

If preferred, in order to fold the rest easily and compactly, it may be provided with a hinge at a, as shown ,in Figs. 9 and 10, said hinge having a stop formed thereon, as shown at a", to limit its backward movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a portable head-rest consisting of the wire A, bent to form the parts B and C, united at a,

the upper portion of the part B being formed in the shape of a loop, from the lower part of which loop, at a the wires are bent back and then downwardly substantially parallel with each other to said point a, so as to partially inclose the rear of the head and fit the neck of the user, and the part 0 being normally curved, as shown, in combination with a suitable cover, whereby the same may be placed between the back of a person and a seat'back and retain its position as a head-rest without additional means for supporting it upon the seat-back or that of the wearer, substantially as shown and described.

CHARLES O. \VIDMAYER.

\Vituesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, J. B. HALPENNY. 

